My Mute Bride

Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.

Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.

“Ms. Rachel Hudson?”

Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.

“There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.”

Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.

Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon upon finding out it was her birthday.

So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?

Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangular suede box out of the paper bag.

With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored necklace in the box that glimmered underneath the light

The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.

Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ‘Happy Birthday’ without any signature.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.

It was a text message from Julian reading, ‘Did you receive what I sent?’

Immediately, she understood. ‘I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.’

‘Don’t forget that you’re a patient of mine. It’s not strange that I would remember your birthday.’

‘Thank you.

‘You’re welcome. Are you free? I just finished work; come down for a walk with me!

Looking at the time, she agreed, ‘Okay.’

At this hour after dinner, the community was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of children laughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around playing.

set the cake box down on a stone table and opened it. Before she could even offer some to

is so

knife and a paper plate, preparing to cut into the cake for

and pulled some candles out of a box to the side. “Today

the group, which happened to be a little girl in pigtails, immediately said,

the ‘Happy Birthday’

her eyes and make a

Rachel must blow out

shook her head to indicate to Julian that there was

had the children sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. The delicate chorus of

“Make a wish.”

There’s no need.

My mommy says you have to say it in your heart and not out

look, she found a little girl who wasn’t even at table height yet looking up at

gazes of the children, clasped her hands and made a wish.

to say thank you!” their parents instructed, standing

on each other’s faces. Just like that,

finally smiled for the first time in days.

continued, “The most important thing right now is to take care of your body and your mood. You don’t need to worry about anything else. As

might as well pretend it never existed for now. At that point, Rachel’s expression

told her, “Go on upstairs, then. It’s been getting colder lately, so make

she turned and headed toward

her apartment and

door was propped open by a large hand from

his darkened face made all the more grotesque

out on business?

house and shut the door before

been getting

took two steps back.

at her resentfully, he stalked toward her as he pulled off his necktie and threw

unmelting icebergs as he sneered, “I suppose you wouldn’t

approached her, forcing her

Rachel had no idea what she

and pulled, she staggered after him